Synthetic marijuana seized in raid at Bartonsville adult video store

Friday

Nov 16, 2012 at 12:01 AM

State police raided a Bartonsville store Wednesday night under suspicion that it sold synthetic marijuana. Police officials said they confiscated about 1,200 packets of synthetic marijuana — valued at about $19,000 — from the Adult Video and Gift Outlet on Route 611.

MICHAEL SADOWSKI

State police raided a Bartonsville store Wednesday night under suspicion that it sold synthetic marijuana.

Police officials said they confiscated about 1,200 packets of synthetic marijuana — valued at about $19,000 — from the Adult Video and Gift Outlet on Route 611.

No charges have been filed against store owners in the investigation, according to Trooper Bryon Dixon of the Fern Ridge state police barracks.

Dixon said the tip came from a traffic stop in Jackson Township and led to the investigation at the store. Store officials cooperated with the investigation Wednesday, he said.

The confiscation was of two brands of incense — Bizarro and Orgazmo — that contain synthetic marijuana. Instead of burning it as incense, people smoke it for the high of the synthetic marijuana, Dixon said.

Synthetic marijuana had been sold legally for years at tobacco shops and other locations until June 2011.

At that time, bath salts were banned from being sold, and synthetic marijuana was banned as part of the new law.

Bizarro and Orgazmo were included as forms of banned synthetic marijuana. Synthetic marijuana gives off a quicker, more hallucinogenic high than natural marijuana, according to police.

Dixon said an unidentified person was pulled over on Route 715 in Jackson Township on Wednesday night. The person is not being identified because they are cooperating with the investigation.

Troopers who made the stop noticed there was synthetic marijuana in the car and asked where it was purchased.

That led state police to the Adult Video and Gift Outlet later Wednesday, where the synthetic marijuana was in plain sight, Dixon said, and confiscated.

The confiscated materials must be tested at the state police laboratory before any charges can be filed.